Journeys: Discover Sri Lanka

5.0Based on

Carbon neutral

12 daysDuration

Small Group TourUsually 8-12 participants, maximum 18 travelers

15 peopleMaximum group size

12 - 100 yearsAge range for participants

EnglishGuide language

Moderate

Involves sustained activity requiring a reasonable level of fitness and endurance.

Starts

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Ends

Negombo, Sri Lanka

Highlights

Explore ruins and archaeological sites with local experts.

take in a lecture on elephant conservation.

search out leopards at Wilpattu National Park.

enjoy a taste of tea at its source.

learn about local ingredients and flavours during a cooking demonstration

Itinerary

Colombo’s bustling streets set the stage for "Journeys: Discover Sri Lanka," a 12-day small group tour that unravels the island’s serendipitous charm. Travel from the bustling city to Negombo, Kandy, and beyond, exploring ancient cities, ornate Buddhist temples, and lush tea plantations.

This tour is for those who revel in both history and nature—taste world-renowned Ceylon tea at its source and track elephants and leopards on safari in two of Sri Lanka’s celebrated national parks. Comfortable accommodations, transport, and meals are all seamlessly arranged for a stress-free getaway.

The USP? An expertly balanced blend of culture, wildlife, and local flavors, making this tour a comprehensive introduction to Sri Lanka’s many wonders.

day 1 - Colombo

Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer is included.

Accomodation:Sofia Colombo City Hotel (or similar)

Transport:Arrival Transfer

Included Activity:Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting Duration : 1.0 hr

day 2 - Colombo/Wilpattu National Park

Begin the Day with a visit to a coconut plantation. Coconut is one of Sri Lanka’s major exports, and many local industries utilize coconut-based by-products. Continue north to Wilpattu National Park, one of the oldest parks in the country and home to a significant leopard population. Explore the park on a 4x4 with a local expert, hearing about conservation efforts and the issues of human encroachment on wildlife reserves, and keep an eye out for elephants, wild boar, sloth bear, spotted deer, and of course, leopards. Spend the night at a safari camp located just outside the park.
Wilpattu is the oldest National Park in the country and home to Sri Lankan leopards. We will do our best to search some out with our local ranger, as well as enjoy the stunning flora and fauna. Our safari camp is located 10 minutes to the Southern boundary of the park entrance, on the boundary of a lake surrounded by bush forest. While a bit more simple than our other accommodations in Sri Lanka, a stay in a tented camp offers a unique and fun experience. Tents are heavy canvas with 2 raised beds, electricity, fan and ensuite toilette. The camp offers open air dining with exceptional food and service in a natural surrounding. On occasion, due to the remote location electricity and hot water can be sporadic. A flashlight is provided and should be used when walking at night.

Meal:Breakfast and Dinner

Accomodation:Big Game Camp Wilpattu (or similar)

Transport:Private Vehicle Duration : 4.0 hr - 5.0 hr Distance : 185 km

Included Activities:Visit a Coconut Plantation, Wilpattu Safari and Conservation Talk

day 3 - Wilpattu National Park/Anuradhapura

Travel to the sacred city of Anuradhapura, an ancient capital of Sri Lanka dating to the third century B. C. Take your time to wander the palaces, gardens, Buddhist temples, and monasteries of this splendid UNESCO World Heritage site.

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:Rajarata Hotel (or similar)

Transport:Private Vehicle Duration : 1.0 hr Distance : 35 km

Included Activity:Anuradhapura Excursion

day 4 - ANURADHAPURA/HABARANA/DAMBULLA

Venture to the thriving village of Habarana, where we’ll get a chance to glimpse daily rural life. Explore the area by traditional bull cart, visiting lush vegetable fields and rice paddies. Take a stroll through town and meet some of Habarana’s residents. Float in a canoe down a picturesque lake, and sit down for a lunch of local specialties. Later, continue to Dambulla for the evening.

Meal:Breakfast and Lunch

Accomodation:Sungreen Resort & Spa (or similar)

Transport:Private Vehicle Duration : 2.0 hr - 2.5 hr Distance : 85 km

Included Activity:Agricultural Village Experience

day 5 - Dambulla

This morning, discover one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic sights—the striking fortress of Sigiriya, or the Lion’s Rock. This royal city and UNESCO World Heritage site was built in the fifth century on the slopes and summit of an imposing granite peak. Climb up a series of steep steps to reach the top, and encounter beautiful gardens, caves, monasteries, and palaces adorned with frescoes. Enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding jungle, and return to Dambulla for some free time around town.

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:Sungreen Resort & Spa (or similar)

Transport:Private Vehicle

Included Activity:Sigiriya Rock Fortress Visit Duration : 2.0 hr - 3.0 hr

day 6 - Dambulla/Kandy

Set out to explore the impressive Dambulla Cave Temple, the largest and best-preserved collection of cave shrines in Sri Lanka. Admire stunning Buddhist murals and a trove of Buddha statues, including a spectacular reclining Buddha carved out of solid rock. Then visit a spice garden in Matale to learn about the therapeutic uses of local spices. Continue to Kandy and enjoy a tour of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, an important pilgrimage site which houses a tooth of the Buddha. This evening, we’ll take in a performance of traditional music at a cultural show.

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:Lavendish Hills Kandy (or similar)

Transport:Private Vehicle Duration : 3.0 hr Distance : 90 km

Included Activities:Dambulla Cave Temple Visit Duration : 1.0 hr - 1.5 hr, Spice Garden Excursion, Temple of the Sacred Tooth Tour Duration : 1.0 hr - 1.6 hr, Kandyan Cultural Dance Duration : 1.0 hr

day 7 - Kandy

Kandy served as the last capital of Sri Lanka’s Sinhala dynasty before the British took complete control of the island in 1815. Spend the Day exploring the city, visiting the breathtaking Royal Botanic Gardens of Peradeniya, once accessible only to the royal family. Afterward, stop by Sthree Craft Shop and Café, a G Adventures–supported social enterprise that works to empower local women and youth. View a handicraft demonstration and hear a talk about the enterprise before enjoying a tasting of local teas, accompanied by scones and pastries. Later, opt for a stroll through the city and around Kandy Lake, or enjoy a rejuvenating Ayurvedic massage.

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:Lavendish Hills Kandy (or similar)

Included Activities:Royal Botanical Gardens Visit Duration : 1.5 hr - 2.0 hr Distance : 2 km, Sthree Craft Shop and Café, High Tea and Handicrafts

Optional Activities:Ayurvedic Center

day 8 - Kandy/Nuwara Eliya

Travel through scenic mountains to the town of Nuwara Eliya, in the heart of Sri Lankan tea country. Visit a tea plantation to gain insight into the cultivation and production of this beloved beverage, and savour a cup of perfectly blended Ceylon tea. Then head out on a tour of Nuwara Eliya and its lush surroundings, once governed by English and Scottish planters, following cool, misty roads through blankets of tea bushes. This afternoon, opt to take high tea at the colonial-era Grand Hotel, originally the holiday home of Sir Edward Barnes, the fifth Governor of Ceylon.

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:Grand Hotel (or similar)

Transport:Private Vehicle Duration : 3.5 hr Distance : 75 km

Included Activities:Tea Plantation Visit Duration : 1.0 hr - 1.5 hr, Explore Nuwara Eliya

Optional Activities:High Tea at the Grand Hotel Step back in time and enjoy high tea at the historic Grand Hotel. Enjoy a lovely setting with Elizabethan-era architecture and beautiful gardens. The building was the former mansion of Sir Edward Barnes who was the Governor of Sri Lanka during 1830-1850.

day 9 - NUWARA ELIYA/HORTON PLAINS NATIONAL PARK/UDAWALAWE NATIONAL PARK

Venture out early this morning into Horton Plains National Park, a protected natural area encompassing high altitude grasslands and hilly cloud forest. Enjoy a picnic breakfast, and culminate your trek at a point known as World’s End—a majestic drop that provides incredible views over the verdant plains and coastline to the south. Then continue to our tented camp on the border of Udawalawe National Park.

Meal:Breakfast and Dinner

Accomodation:Athgira River Camp (or similar)

Transport:Private Vehicle Duration : 1.0 hr - 1.5 hr Distance : 30 km, Private Vehicle Duration : 4.0 hr - 4.5 hr Distance : 140 km

Included Activity:Horton Plains Trek Duration : 4.0 hr - 4.5 hr Distance : 9 km

day 10 - UDAWALAWE NATIONAL PARK

A sanctuary for large herds of elephants, Udawalawe National Park is one of the best places in the world to observe these majestic pachyderms. Embark on a jeep safari through the park seeking out the abundant wildlife, including water buffalo, jackals, and various species of deer.

Meal:Breakfast and Dinner

Accomodation:Athgira River Camp (or similar)

Included Activity:Udawalawe Reserve Safari Duration : 3.0 hr - 3.5 hr

day 11 - Udawalawe/Negombo

This morning, enjoy a cooking demonstration by the camp chef, learning about local specialties, then drive to Negombo and spend the Day at leisure. This small port town has seen Portguese, Dutch, and British rule—reflected in the architecture of the old quarter—and used to be a centre of the cinnamon trade. Choose to visit the Old Dutch Fort, step into one of the town’s ornate Catholic churches, or enjoy a stroll on the beach.

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:Goldi Sands Hotel (or similar)

Transport:Private Vehicle Duration : 5.0 hr - 6.0 hr Distance : 270 km

Included Activity:Sri Lankan Cooking Demonstration Duration : 0.5 hr - 1.0 hr

day 12 - Negombo

Depart at any time.
Hotel check out is at 12:00pm. Your CEO can assist you with arranging an easy transfer to Colombo or the International airport.

Meal:Breakfast

Included Activity:Departure Day

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What's Included

Accommodation

Hotel/lodges – 8 nts, tented camp – 3 nts.

Meals

11 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 3 dinners
Note: Allow USD275-360 for meals not included.

Transport

Private vehicle, boat, 4x4, walking.All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Guide

CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides.

Included activities

Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Wilpattu Safari and Conservation Talk, Wilpattu National ParkYour Journeys Highlight Moment: Agricultural Village Experience, HabaranaYour Journeys Highlight Moment: High Tea and Handicrafts, KandyYour G for Good Moment: Sthree Craft Shop and Café, KandyYour Hands-On Moment: Visit a Coconut Plantation, ColomboYour Foodie Moment: Sri Lankan Cooking Demonstration, UdawalaweArrival transferTour of Anuradhapura ruinsTour the Sigiriya rock fortressDambulla cave temple visitVisit a Matale spice gardenTour the Temple of the ToothCultural showVisit the Royal Botanical GardensTour Nuwara Eliya area and a Ceylon tea plantationHike in Horton Plains National ParkSafari drive in Udawalawe National Park

What's Excluded

Customer Reviews

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